When the effluent rises it has some velocity, and hence momentum. When it enters the hood it has a tendency to "reflect" and curl downward and potentially escape. If the hood is deep enough (top to bottom) and the hood fan flow is high enough (cfm) the curling effluent will remain captured and will be exhausted. The barrel design in the picture looks to me (without examining one) like it has adequate depth. W.r.t. ya think's question a few messages up: First I would say that the change from vertical to horizontal should be as large a radius curve as you can fit to minimize pressure loss (as well as noise). The effluent momentum (which is a vector) is being changed in direction. This is akin to stopping it and starting it up again. If it can slide along a curve, the momentum loss is significantly less. There is one commercial ducting source I came across once that uses 90-degree transitions, but embeds a curved shape within the duct to improve the flow. I find it hard to answer the question of what questions to ask. Usually, the answers aren't available. Ideally, one would want to know the fan curve (flow vs. static pressure) and try to estimate all the pressure losses (including the pressure one might pull the house down to with or without make-up air) to see what the real maximum flow rate will be. This can then be compared against estimates of effluent generation rate calculated from the reference below. The power used might be adjusted to represent your cooking style, as rarely would one have all burners on maximum and cooking at the highest pan temperature. One thing is certain, flow rate in the hood has to at least equal the flow rate from all the active burners and pans, and arguably should be higher due to imperfect effluent collection. Implied above is that the hood manufacturer can supply pressure loss of the filters vs. flow rate, as well as that of the hood transitions. Getting that data, even if it were ever measured, would be unlikely, me thinks. I suggest that various hoods be "audited" in showrooms to gain a feel for their noisiness versus their designs. The reference worth reading, even if one doesn't intend to use it for calculations, is "Thermal plumes of kitchen appliances: part 2 cooking mode," by Risto, Hannu, and Pekka. (I've found it on-line whenever I've looked for it. Part 1 is also interesting.) If you do use it for calculations, please note the following apparent errors in their Equation 1: The constant should be 0.05 not 5. The units of phi should be kW, not W. (these corrections make their tables consistent with the equation) You will need a scientific calculator or counterpart software to do the exponents (unless you are very old school and know how to do logarithms). You will also need to convert BTU to kW and cubic meters per second to cubic feet per minute. This is left as an exercise for the student. [insert sociopathic laugh here] kas

You stated that the window at the bottom is to the floor and to change it would mess up the front elevation of the house. Given that constriction, I would do one of the following: 1) Swap Fridge and Ovens, place prep sink on the top side of the island. You would need to adjust the framing. Your primary prep space is the top side of the island - that's a long side, so will give you a lot of space. However, your prep is in the traffic path from FR to DR through the kitchen. 2) Move cleanup sink and DW to bottom end of island. Put Fridge at bottom of left wall, put prep sink somewhere on left wall, deepen left wall counters to 30". Your primary prep space is the left wall, with secondary on the island across from the prep sink, and neither are in a traffic path. 3) Move cleanup sink and DW to bottom end of island. Put Fridge at bottom of left wall, put prep sink on left side of island. Your primary prep space is the left, short side of the island, but I would still deepen left wall counters to 30" in order to have a secondary prep space. By the way, you will not be able to open a two-door or right-hinged single door fridge all the way if you put it against a wall like that. The wall blocks the door. You might be OK with that, but note you won't be able to pull out the drawers in the fridge for cleaning, or possibly even every day access. You need a single door fridge that is hinged in the opposite side from the wall if you want it placed like that, or the wall can only cover the fridge to the point it doesn't hinder the door swing (6" back, maybe?)

"You have said it well - "forced to use the lowest cost options" - that is what I was getting at: If you (the home owner) are not involved " Quite the contrary. The customer forces the contractor to bid the lowest and cheapest. The alternative for the contractor is rejection. Often the customer has no realistic perspective based on experience ( as is possible with some who post) about how it all works. What I had hoped would be my best job ever (quality, which it was) turned out to be the bitterest disappointment ("customer" dissatisfaction) . A close relative was planning a build (their first build) and wanted the best of everything. House about 3500 square feet 2 story plus basement of about 2000 square feet plus attached double garage. I volunteered to do the electrical charging only for materials at cost-- no markup on materials and no charge for labor. Lots of changes and additions as the project progressed. 2- 200 amp main panels, 109 duplex receptacles, 91 wall switches, 78 light fixtures, 12 of them cans, 13 of them exterior, 2 heat pumps with backup electrical, water pump and water heater. Over 4000 feet of NM cable used, plus the larger cable. ALL conductors were copper.. They were astounded and surprised at the cost of the materials when it was all completed. Harsh words were used. I asked them to have another electrician inspect and give them an opinion. Did not do so, they already had an opinion. I see that here too. This post was edited by bus_driver on Wed, Mar 12, 14 at 15:48

To move a wall outlet is not a big issue, the old hole can be patched taped and painted in one hour or so. You don't want to start cutting and patching after all your furniture is in, now it's the time to move everything so all you have to do is plug it in and connect everything after you move in. That being said, during a walkthrough I'm surprised that the outlets weren't marked at needed locations, that's what the electrical walkthrough is all about to make sure everything is in specific locations. Good luck with your new home.